The Bird Flu virus has been identified at a commercial egg production facility in Jackson County in southern Indiana impacting 2.8 million birds, according to the Indiana State Board of Animal Health.
State health officials on Saturday evening would not identify the name of the company, nor the specific location of the facility that has been impacted to Hoosier Ag Today.
This is the largest flock size of an Indiana commercial poultry farm to be impacted by the virus, known as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) since the outbreak was first found in Indiana on a commercial turkey farm in Dubois County in February 2022. A commercial egg production facility in Jay County with 354,000 hens was depopulated after a positive test for HPAI was identified earlier this month.
As of January 3, 2025, there have now been six cases of HPAI identified at commercial poultry facilities throughout Indiana:
- Jay County – Commercial Turkey operation. 20,560 birds depopulated.
- Jay County – Commercial Egg Layer operation. 354,000 birds depopulated.
- Jay County – Commercial Turkey operation. 18,840 birds depopulated.
- Allen County – Commercial Egg Layer operation. 26,000 birds impacted.
- Adams County – Commercial Turkey operation. 19,860 birds impacted.
- Jackson County – Commercial Egg Layer operation. 2,800,000 birds impacted.
State health officials have set up a control area within a 10-kilometer (6.2 mile) radius around the farm, which contains portions of Jackson and Bartholomew counties in Indiana. In addition, the state has set up a surveillance zone with a 20-kilometer (12.4 mile) radius around the farm which also contains portions of Jackson, Bartholomew, Brown, and Jennings counties.
Testing will be done at nearby flocks to determine whether HPAI has spread. USDA Wildlife Services and Indiana Department of Natural Resources are assisting with the surveillance of wild birds in and near the control areas.
Lactating dairy cattle must have a negative test before interstate movement under a federal order. USDA has expanded surveillance through testing milk at the farm or processor level to establish the health status of herds, as well as states.
Indiana ranks fourth in the nation in turkey production according to the USDA. The state also ranks first in the U.S. for duck production, and third for egg production. Indiana’s poultry industry directly employs more than 12,700 Hoosiers and contributes more than $18.3 billion in total economic activity to the state.
